Scratch-Off Tickets: How to Find the Best Odds in Your State
Not all scratch-off tickets are created equal. Here's how to find the ones with the best remaining odds.
The Scratch-Off Landscape
Americans spend over $100 billion per year on lottery tickets, and scratch-offs account for the majority. Unlike draw games, scratch-offs have a fixed number of prizes — and as tickets are sold, the odds change.
How Scratch-Offs Work
Each scratch-off game is printed with a predetermined number of winning and losing tickets:
- Total tickets printed: 10,000,000
- Total prizes: 2,500,000
- Overall odds: 1 in 4
- RTP (Return to Player): 60-70%
Finding the Best Odds
Step 1: Check Your State Lottery Website
Every state lottery publishes remaining prize information for each game. This tells you how many top prizes are still available.
Step 2: Calculate Remaining Odds
If a game started with 3 top prizes and 2 have been claimed, the remaining odds for the top prize are worse. But if most tickets have also been sold, the odds might still be reasonable.
Step 3: Compare RTP Across Games
Higher-priced tickets typically have better RTP:
| Ticket Price | Typical RTP |
|---|---|
| $1 | 55-60% |
| $2 | 60-65% |
| $5 | 62-68% |
| $10 | 65-72% |
| $20 | 68-75% |
| $30+ | 70-78% |
The Expected Value Reality
Even the "best" scratch-off tickets have negative expected value. A $20 ticket with 72% RTP means you lose $5.60 on average per ticket.
Smart Scratch-Off Strategies
- Check remaining prizes before buying — Avoid games where top prizes are claimed
- Buy higher denominations — Better RTP per dollar
- Set a strict budget — Scratch-offs are entertainment, not investment
- Buy from the same roll — If you see winners being sold, the remaining tickets in that roll have fewer winners
- Never reinvest winnings — Pocket your wins
The Bottom Line
Scratch-offs are the most expensive form of lottery play. The house edge (25-45%) dwarfs even slot machines. If you enjoy them, budget a fixed amount and treat it as entertainment.